NEWS

Twll Du entrance into Ogof

Draenen

Cambrian Caving Council and British Caving Association websites have released a statement requesting that cavers do not use this cave entrance because it has been dug without conservation consent from Cadw when the site is a scheduled monument.Cadw is the statutory conservation body for the historic environment in Wales and they have said that further use of this entrance will be treated as damage to the site.A meeting will take place in January 2018 between the interested parties including Cadw, NRW, Torfaen Council, BBNPA, Gwent Police, Cambrian Caving Council and PDCMG to discuss ways forward.

New Cambrian Caving

Council Secretary

After the retirement of Rob Jones for health reasons, Allan Richardson from SWCC has been co-opted into the role of Secretary. All officer posts are up for election at the AGM on March 11th 2018 in South Wales.

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CSS Annual Dinner

This will take place in The Bear hotel in Crickhowell on Saturday 27th January. Further details from Mandy Voysey about menu choices, transport from Whitewalls and costs.

Annual General Meting

This will take place in Tretower village hall on Sunday 28th January at 11.00am preceded by a short committee meeting there at 10.30am which anyone may attend. Satnav to NP8 1RF and park near Tretower Castle entrance not by any houses please. Further details from Adrian Fawcett.

CHELSEASPELÆOLOGICALSOCIETYCaving in Wales,the South of England,and beyond

Ogof Capel access uncertain

Despite several requests during the autumn, Costain

has yet to provide a timetable for the closure of Ogof

Capel to cavers as the A465 dual carriageway road

works move to the middle section of the Clydach

Gorge. Their conservation plan, which is considered

by some to be unworkable, is to fit a series of plastic

tubes through the cave entrance series to preserve

access for bats should the roof fall in as a result of

road works going on above. Welsh Government is

consulting on small modifications to the dualling

scheme, including a new footbridge at Blackrock

which will provide access to the southbound bus stop

and Devil’s Bridge footpath: closing date 14th Dec.

The permanent loss of the ‘big layby’ on the A465 makes it harder to reach Ogof Nant Rhin as the only options seem to be following the Nant yr Hafod stream (with owner’s permission) or parking on the east side of the gorge then fording the Clydach river, but again there is no right of way. Likewise getting back to minor road leading to Blackrock after doing a through trip from Ogof Pont Gam to Ogof Nant Rhin is going to involve following the Nant yr Hafod or making use of a new subway connecting the Pont Harry Isaac path with the west side of the gorge having got on to that path somehow. Costain have said that the company just builds the roads to specification and is not responsible for the planning aspects.